Hosea 12

1 Ephraim feedeth on wind, and pursueth the east wind; the whole day he increaseth deceit and corruption; and a covenant do they make with Assyria, and oil is carried into Egypt.

But Ephraim is an evil spirit, he has chased the east wind all the day: he has multiplied empty and vain things, and made a covenant with the Assyrians, and oil has gone in the way of traffic into Egypt.

2 But with Judah also hath the Lord [to hold] a controversy; and to punish Jacob according to his ways, according to his doings will he recompense him.

And the Lord [has] a controversy with Juda, in order to punish Jacob: according to his ways and according to his practices will he recompense him.

3 In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his strength he strove with an angel.

He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and in his labours he had power with God.

4 Yea, he strove with an angel, and prevailed; he wept, and made supplication unto him: in Beth-el he should find him, and there he will speak with us.

And he prevailed with the angel and was strong: they wept, and entreated me: they found me in the house of On, and there [a word] was spoken to them.

5 And the Lord God of hosts, the Eternal One is his memorial.

But the Lord God Almighty shall be his memorial.

6 Therefore do thou return to thy God: keep goodness and justice, and wait on thy God continually.

You therefore shall return to your God: keep you mercy and judgement, and draw near to your God continually.

7 But like a merchant, who hath the balances of deceit in his hand, loving to overreach,

[As for] Chanaan, in his hand is a balance of unrighteousness: he has loved to tyrannize.

8 Did Ephraim say, I am certainly become rich, I have acquired substance unto myself: it is all through my labors; they will find no iniquity in me, that could be sin.

And Ephraim said, Nevertheless I am rich, I have found refreshment to myself. None of his labours shall be found [available] to him, by reason of the sins which he has committed.

9 And I am the Lord thy God from the land of Egypt: I will yet make thee dwell in tents, as in the days of antiquity.

But I the Lord your God brought you up out of the land of Egypt: I will yet cause you to dwell in tabernacles, according to the days of the feast.

10 And I have spoken through the prophets, and I myself have multiplied visions, and by the means of the prophets have I spoken in similitudes.

And I will speak to the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and by the means of the prophets I was represented.

11 If in Gil'ad there was misfortune, [it is because] there was naught but idolatry; in Gilgal they sacrificed bullocks [to idols]: their altars also are as stone-heaps on the furrows of the fields.

If Galaad exists not, then the chiefs in Galaad when they sacrificed were false, and their altars were as heaps on the ground of the field.

12 And Jacob fled into the fields of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and for a wife he kept [the flocks].

And Jacob retreated into the plain of Syria, and Israel served for a wife, and waited for a wife.

13 And by a prophet did the Lord bring Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he guarded.

And the Lord brought Israel out of the land of Egypt by a prophet, and by a prophet was he preserve.

14 [Yet] Ephraim provoked [him] to anger most bitterly: therefore will his Lord cast his blood-guiltiness upon him, and his reproach will he recompense unto him.

Ephraim was angry and excited, therefore his blood shall be poured out upon him, and the Lord shall recompense to him his reproach.